Cross Cutting Areas

4.5. Cross Cutting Areas

As explained by the NST-1, Cross Cutting Areas are also key points for the development of the district. Nyamasheke District will implement them by considering all the indicators set in each cross cutting area.

 Capacity building

Efforts will be intensified to empower communities, organization and individual. The district will assess the organizational and individual capacity forces at district and sector levels (both from public, private and civil organizations) required to implement this DDS.

The district will also promote training and coaching (on individual Level/Skills development interventions-Different Units) to improve technical skills.

At institutional level, systems and procedures (at District/Sector/Cell Levels) like software to facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of development interventions will be improved.

 Regional integration

The district will increase the commercial activities with the DRC through the construction of one Cross-border market in Rugali Sector and 3 modern mini-ports on Lake Kivu.

 Gender and family promotion

Gender and family promotion related activities targeting the communities will continue to be implemented in a manner that ensures equal participation of women and men.

The family being the basis of all development, it will be ensured that campaigns and sensitization for the promotion of healthier and wealthier families is ensured as the basis for the future families of the district. Sensitization campaigns and trainings will be conducted to gender equality and gender related laws.

The District will strengthen existing mechanisms and initiate new home-grown initiatives for GBV prevention and response mechanisms at community level. Strategic partnership with FBOs, CSO will be established to reduce conflicting families and domestic violence.

Campaigns for Family Planning will be conducted and those services will be put in place for the effectiveness of couples’ efforts to control their own fertility and to access

97 contraceptive needs not only for spacing but also for limiting the total number of births and preventing pregnancy among the girls’ teenagers.

Incentives/awards will be put in place for girls enrolling and performing well in STEM related TVET trades to stimulate many girls to enroll and perform in these subjects.

Schools from primary level should raise awareness on the benefit of ICT-specialized courses for girls and boys and encourage more girls and young women to participate.

This will be improved by ICT related facilities such as tele-centers especially in rural areas to respond to ICT needs and women’s limited mobility due to household responsibilities.

There is need to enhance women’s technical capacities to allow them to be more competitive at marketplace and be able to take technical and managerial posts in cooperatives. Devise measures that will strengthen the capacity of women in leadership and emerging leaders in transformational leadership for their increased self-confidence and esteem and to effectively influence decisions and advocate for gender equality and the empowerment of women. They are also necessary to support the increase of women’s access to and control of agricultural inputs and loans, increase and diversify initiatives and investments aiming at reducing the big number of women in subsistence farming to reduce poverty particularly among women.

 Environment and climate change

The Government of Rwanda is very committed to safeguarding environment and fighting against the impacts of climate change. The national development is supposed to be achieved in a sustainable manner, as highlighted in Vision 2020, Vision 2050 and the new NST1.

Environment and climate change will be mainstreamed through increasing forest and agro-forest cover. Degraded forest ecosystems will be rehabilitated through aforestation and re-aforestation and forestry resources sustainably managed. Activities like reduction of flooding prospective through erosion control and assessment of potential damage impacts will be undertaken. Compliance with environment conservation standards by the mining companies will be promoted in the process of building a clean environment in mined areas. Mining related activities will ensure sustainable exploitation of mineral and quarry resources. Mine sites will have efficient water and wastes management

98 system. A couple of activities will be implemented with the fundamental nature of protecting the environment.

 Disaster management

According to the National Risk Atlas Rwanda¹⁰, disaster is “a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources”. A disaster risk is the potential disaster losses, in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets and services, which could occur to a particular community or a society over some specified future time period.

Nyamasheke district is geo-morphologically located in the narrow of Great Western Rift Valley region along Lake Kivu which is more exposed to earthquake hazards. The district tends to experience severe shallow earthquakes. The area that’s most impacted by seismic hazard is the Western Province. Between 2002 and 2008, five earthquakes struck the province causing deaths and damages. Also, Nyamasheke District is one of the most exposed to moderate and strong gale (windstorm hazard).

The district will multiply interventions and practices of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyze and manage the causal factors of disasters, including through reduced exposure to hazards, lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse events.

 Disability and social inclusion

Social inclusion is a process, by which, efforts are made to ensure equal opportunities for all. It is also an aspect of how one perceives her access to institutions and resources in the decision making environment. In fact, some people live an invisible life because the society is closed to them; they are excluded from social and economic opportunities.

Economic and social inclusions are therefore essential in developing successful growth strategies, fighting poverty and increasing well-being in an economy. Consequently, Nyamasheke District will ensure:

- All HHs headed by poor PwDs & poorest HHs (Cat 1) have access to electricity

10 MIDIMAR, The National Risk Atlas of Rwanda, Kigali, 2015

99 - Construction of roads in urban areas reserve walkable ways for PwD:

- Public buildings and constructions designed/upgraded are with disabled people facilities (toilets, ways)

- PwDs have health insurance

- Mental health services (package) are integrated at health center level - Primary, TVET & secondary schools are all inclusive & accessible for PwDs.

- PwDs council are operational at district, sector and cell levels - Legal aid/representation is provided to PwDs.

- All PwDs are categorized and social protection benefit is provided to PwDs - Sports, leisure and culture among PwDs is promoted

 HIV/AIDS and Non Communicable Diseases

Promoting HIV/AIDS awareness is health sector priority and will be indicated as such.

Sensitization campaigns on HIV/AIDS and non communicable diseases will be organized at all levels of the district. This will be achieved in collaboration with relevant district stakeholders. People especially youth will be encouraged to voluntarily undertake HIV/AIDS tests and companies will be sensitized to facilitate this strategy. Especially for NCDs, the district will promote Home Based Care Practitioners for health, NCDs screening at work places and NCDs Self screening (Diabetes, High blood pressure…).

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